Will Sascha once again leave the Belgian with no chance?
It was just nine days ago that Alexander Zverev’s path to the Madrid Masters final included a 2-0 semifinal victory over Alexander Blockx. Now the two athletes are set to face off again in the Eternal City, and naturally, the Belgian would love nothing more than to get his revenge.
If Alexander Blockx were to defeat Alexander Zverev, a win for the 21-year-old from Antwerp would almost certainly secure his place in the world’s top 32, meaning he would be seeded at the upcoming French Open and a potentially much easier tournament path would be guaranteed for him.
Alexander Blockx will certainly not lack motivation, even though Alexander Zverev was already a cut above the 21-year-old in Madrid. Sascha did have to weather a difficult spell in his last-round match against Daniel Altmaier, especially since he contracted a feverish infection shortly after losing the Madrid final, which was still affecting him in his opening match.
However, Alexander Blockx was on the court for over half an hour longer against Tallon Griekspoor (2:25) and had to go the full distance of three sets, so we wouldn’t say the German has a disadvantage in terms of freshness. With that in mind, we’re predicting a repeat of the Madrid result and are backing the Blockx vs. Zverev prediction that Sascha will once again dispatch the new Belgian No. 1 2-0.
Alternatively, one could also bet neutrally that the match will be decided in two sets. If Sascha hasn’t shaken off his illness as hoped during the rest day and isn’t feeling significantly better, it wouldn’t be unlikely that he wouldn’t be able to get back into the match if he loses the first set. For under 2.5 sets, Bet-at-home is offering odds of 1.45 on Alexander Blockx vs. Alexander Zverev.
Alexander Blockx – Alexander Zverev Head-to-Head Record
Head-to-Head: 0:1
Just nine days ago, the first and only meeting between the two players took place. In the semifinals of the Madrid Masters, Alexander Zverev gave the Belgian rising star no chance, defeating Alexander Blockx in straight sets 2-0 (6-2, 7-5).
Alexander Blockx – Alexander Zverev Prediction
Although the illness that Sascha was already struggling with in his opening match against Daniel Altmaier could certainly be a factor, our prediction for Alexander Blockx vs. Alexander Zverev is another clear victory for the German, who, while still without a title in the 2026 season, he has consistently reached at least the semifinals in all five major tournaments and has left virtually nothing to chance, especially against players outside the top 10 of the ATP world rankings.
A loss to the Belgian up-and-comer would therefore come as a surprise, though Griekspoor recently hit twelve aces against him and won 89 percent of all points on his first serve, which should also earn him quite a few free points against the German.
Nevertheless: Even an ailing Sascha was the more composed player against Altmaier in the decisive moments of the last round and struck when the chance to break arose. It is well known that the German, who ranks among the best servers on the ATP Tour, is not easily broken anyway.
